Friday, June 14, 2019 (Thunderbird RV Park, Campbell River, BC)

With lunch packed and all of our riding gear in the truck, we walked over to say goodbye to Ray and Deb...glad you stopped for a couple of nights on your way up to Cluxewe Resort. Enjoy your 10 days with family...see you on  your way back!

We had about a 40 minute drive north to the intersection of highway 19 and Rock Bay Forest Service Road...where we met Earl and Allison for a day out riding.

It was about 10:20 by the time we had the quads off-loaded, oil and air pressure checked (and filled)...we were ready to head off. Earl and Allison have traded their two-up quad for a side-by-side...

This sign was posted where we were parked...

Earl and Allison led the the way across the highway and found the trail. This trail trail turned out to be overgrown in spots...

Here we have a bridge to cross...

I didn't feel comfortable crossing it so asked Steve to take my quad over for me...

As he returned to get his quad he found me on my butt from slipping on the bridge. Luckily only my dignity was hurt...

Earl and Allison disappear into the bush as we cross the creek...

Steve yelled for me to stop because the rear axle skid plate on my quad was coming off and just hanging. The plastic skid plate was forced through it's mounting bolt so Earl gave Steve a couple of zap straps to reattach it. Earl and Allison had also turned around because the trail got worse.

Steve was now in the lead on the way out...

I even summoned up the courage to cross the bridge all by myself!

We crossed back across the highway and continued past where we offloaded on Rock Bay FSR...

Passing by McCreight Lake...

Great view of McCreight Lake from above...

So much for plan A. We went to plan B and ran into another gate so went to plan C...

Logging isn't pretty...

What's Earl trying to push over...

Looks like the remnants of an old logging Steam Donkey used for winching logs...

We passed by a couple of waterfalls...

In the distance you can see Discovery Passage, a narrow channel between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland...

Smile!

What a view!

Lots of yellow flowers along this stretch...

A little bit of a rock slide here...

Above and below, more flowers...

A few windfalls through here...

We were planning on having lunch further up the road but with all these windfalls and no chainsaw we decided to walk to the view...

Earl had a little hand saw and cut a trail through the branches so we could pass...

Lunch with a view!

After lunch we turned around and headed back...

Tug boat towing a barge...

Passing by McCreight Lake again...

Earl and Allison looking for a geocache...

Once found we continued on...

Little Bear Bay Recreation Site...

There's a fish hatchery on the other side of the bay. Apparently it's good salmon fishing here...just walk out into the shallow bay in your chest waders...

We really miss this kind of camping, but with our big rig it's not happening :(

Panorama view...

Lower Stella Lake...

More geocaching near the stump with a face...

Arriving at Stella Lake Recreation Site...

Nice beach!

Time to head back...

Passing by McCreight Lake...

After around 6 hours 104 km/65 miles we arrived back at the trucks at 4:30...what a great day! This was our first in about 4 years riding on the island. It's certainly not like riding in the desert with open skies and endless views!

The lighter coloured red was our track today...

After loading up...we said goodbye to Earl and Allison. Thanks for showing us a beautiful area! Looking forward to getting together again for another ride before we leave the area.